Author:
I rewatched season 2 up until the war game and it appears I can cut off some corners more than expected. The anime took 5 episodes to finish the war game part but in our case, we MIGHT be able to finish it by the next chapter.
Also, I'll apologize in advance for those who might view it as too absurd or too rushed, but Yuuya will hit level 6 during the time Hestia is kidnapped by Ares. Level 5 would be considered an ass pull but needed, along with level 6, and Level 6 true purpose is because it's necessary to kick start the next scenario. But don't worry, I won't turn it into a total ass pull, there would still be justification on how he'll reach those levels. So it'll be up to you guys whether you guys let it pass and enjoy the plot or trash talk me lol.
After I finish the war game part and rescued Haruhime, the true season 2 begins.
This took quite some time. Including this part and the last part, it's a total of 21k words.
∆∆∆∆
As Yuuya drifts aimlessly in his subconsciousness, a feeling he has quite gotten used to by now because of how often he gets knocked out, he starts feeling his surroundings again.
Normally, it means he was dreaming again. Dreams he can't quite make out of what they mean but this time, it was different.
In the depths of Yuuya's consciousness, something surreal or rather, peaceful is developing.
It may be the universe's own way of rewarding him from his actions or perhaps, just a memory from his time on Earth.
One peaceful, warm, and surprising dream.
'warm... It's... Warm...?' Thought Yuuya in his mind, his eyes still closed.
Then, as he regains his senses a little bit, he starts becoming more aware of his surroundings.
And the first thing he noticed is the weight on his right shoulder.
It's a familiar type of weight, a weight he has gotten so used to in his time back on Earth.
It was her weight when she's leaning on him. Of course, how could he forget that familiar feeling?
Feeling that his mind is playing tricks on him again, Yuuya groggily opened his eyes and turned his head towards his right shoulder.
When his eyes landed on her, that silver hair he was so used to, his breath was immediately caught in his throat, his eyes widening a little from surprise, and his heart slowly started hammering on his heart.
"A... Aka... Akari...?" Whispered Yuuya, his voice stammering.
That was the name of the person currently leaning on his shoulder who also appears to be asleep.
Hearing his voice, the said person seems to stir awake from their own sleep.
"Yuuya...?" Akari said, yawning a little.
When she opened her eyes to stare back at him, Yuuya's heart hammered with even more intensity in his chest.
Those eyes, those pair of green eyes that shine with so much clarity that they appear like emeralds—reflects his that are like the void itself.
Those eyes that are full of warmth and love—it's a gaze that he can stare at for all of eternity.
"Akari... Is that you? Is that... Really you?" Said Yuuya, his voice shaking.
Akari pulled away slowly from his shoulder, sleep still lingering on her. She then stares at Yuuya like he was some kind of alien.
For a few seconds, there is nothing but silence. But then—
"Pfft, what kind of question is that Yuuya? Of course it's me, Akari Tanaka." She said as she smiled softly back at Yuuya.
(Reference Image)
Akari Tanaka. She's one year younger than Yuuya. She had silver hair, a pair of green eyes, and a height of 5'3.
"You look like you could use some more sleep Yuuya~" She said as she leans back on his shoulder.
'It's her... It really is her.' Yuuya thought in his mind, still shaken.
This is Yuuya's girlfriend, fiance, and soon to be wife in his previous life. They were supposed to get married after he returned from his last mission.
But alas, fate took a cruel turn and it took that away from both of them.
Just then, another voice is heard. This time, it was from his left and it was also from a girl.
"Is everything," she yawned. "Alright?
With that, Yuuya's awareness of his surroundings increases. He was so shaken by Akari's appearance, that he didn't notice the weight on his left shoulder as well.
But this presence... That voice... It was a familiar presence.
A presence that he hasn't felt for a long time.
Yuuya turned his head towards his left, where he found a raven black hair that flows seamlessly.
"Haruka...?" Said Yuuya, his voice still shaking. "But how... You're supposed to be..."
Yuuya's voice was caught in his own throat. He cannot finish that sentence. He just cannot.
"Yeah it's me Haruka..." She said as she yawned again, pulling away from his shoulder just enough to look back at him. "Is something wrong Yuuya?"
(Reference Image.)
Haruka Sato. She's the same age as Yuuya. Just like him, she also possesses black hair while having a pair of gray eyes that sometimes appeared like silver. She's only slightly taller than Akari as she had a height of 5'4.
As those pair of gray gazes stared back at him with some hint of worry, Yuuya felt a need to respond, mainly to deescalate and for him to process the situation.
"Ye-yes. I'm fine, Haruka." Replied back Yuuya as he felt an indescribable amount of peace in uttering that name.
"Hm... Okay... If you say so." She said as she also leaned back into his shoulder.
"Don't worry about him Haruka, he just needs some few more minutes of sleep." Said Akari softly.
"Mhm..."
With both of the girl closing their eyes again to resume their nap, Yuuya finally have the space he needs to process this predicament.
He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and exhaled. He then opened his eyes again and examined his surroundings.
He found themselves currently sitting on grass and resting under the shade of a tree.
'Judging by the climate, it must be around spring.' Thought Yuuya. He then turned his attention to their clothes. 'School clothes huh...'
Yuuya then turned his gaze again back towards Haruka.
'High school clothes. She is still here. If this were truly a dream, perhaps a memory I somehow forgot, then this must be a time—'
'—where Haruka is still alive.'
...
...
...
'Haruka... It's been a long time. How many years has it been? I died at December and I've been on Orario for two months. That means...' Yuuya paused for a second. '...in two months, it'll be your 5th year since you passed away.'
Haruka is Yuuya's childhood friend and the same goes with Akari as well. The two were neighbors, their houses are literally just next to each other.
It was the same for Akari as well. The only difference is she didn't meet Yuuya and Haruka until a year later, when her parents moved in their neighbourhood.
In a nutshell, Yuuya's house is literally in the middle while Akari and Haruka's house are on the sides.
As for Haruka... Well... The tragedy happened around the first week of April. It's a rainy Saturday afternoon, Haruka and her parents were supposed to go to a family reunion but they were caught in a car accident.
Both of Haruka's parents are dead on the spot while Haruka herself suffers catastrophic injuries.
But she is alive.
Though...
Not for long.
'Ah... I can still remember that day clearly. Too... Clearly...' Said Yuuya to himself as he closes his eyes.
Just like how Yuuya views his overwhelming talent and potential as both a gift and a curse, he could say the same to his photographic memory. Sure it helps him with academic and trivial stuffs from time to time but when it comes to this kind of thing? Yeah... It's not exactly the best kind of thing to have.
'I can still remember that cursed day...' Thought Yuuya as his hand that were interwined with Haruka tightened just a little bit as not to hurt her. "The constant beeping of the heart monitor, the smell of the hospital, Haruka's laboured breathing, and her eyes that looked so pained and... Scared...'
That was one of the things that still disturbs Yuuya until this very day. Every time Yuuya remembers that gaze, it always does not fail to break his heart. He can remember Haruka laying there on the hospital bed and she was... So scared. She doesn't tell it and make it obvious, but her eyes tells the truth.
She is scared of dying. She is scared of going.
Unlike her parents, she didn't passes away immediately. She clings on to life just enough to reach the hospital and despite her injuries, miraculously or perhaps a cruel joke from the universe, she is conscious. But just like mentioned before, her injuries are too catastrophic.
She only had a day left to live.
No more, no less. As the hours approached and the seconds trickle down, she eventually started to get weaker until her heart just... Stops...
'You were so scared too... You've always been the scaredy cat of the group...' his thumb doing a slow circle on Haruka's hands. 'You're always frightened of the unknown like ghosts but... It was death or rather, what comes after it that you're most afraid of... Isn't it?'
Haruka have this profound fear of the unknown. It was a fear that their circle of friends are very well aware of. She is also scared of the darkness, so much that she needs a lamp at night just to fall asleep. Which made the impact of her final moments even more devastating if one were to put themselves at her situation.
Yuuya and Akari were also there in her final breaths in that room. Just the three of them as Haruka requested. Up to this day, they are also the only two people who know of her final words.
Remembering these painful memories, Yuuya sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back on the tree.
'There is no use in dwelling on the past no matter how painful it may be to... Let go... And simply keep moving as if nothing happened.' Thought Yuuya. 'It wouldn't be easy but what can I do? I can't resurrect dead people back to life and I'm certainly no god. But if there is one thing I can do for her... It was to keep living. It was her final wish to me, her last act of love for me.'
Yuuya then opened his eyes again and stared at the ground.
'If this were a dream... Then I'll drown in it for as long as possible.' Immediately after that declaration, he felt a sudden wave of peace. The painful memory of Haruka, were washed away in an instant. Replaced by a state of serenity and contentment.
Not wasting another second, Yuuya also untangled his hands from Haruka and Akari, slowly brought both of his hands up, put it both on their head, and gently pulled them closer to his.
"Hm?"
"Oh?"
The two were of course a bit surprised by this sudden action but they didn't pull back and instead, leaned into the touch.
"Well someone's feeling lonely." Teased Akari.
"Did our Yuuya had a nightmare?" Followed by Haruka.
"I'm... I'm just..." Yuuya's voice is cracking, overwhelmed from the emoticons he is feeling. Tears at the edge of his eyes.
"Look at this guy, feeling all romantic all of the sudden." Suddenly, another voice broke through the peace.
"Oh get a room you three will ya?" Followed by another.
Yuuya is no longer surprised at this point but instead, he felt even more at peace. He slowly turned his gaze upward to meet the owners of the voices.
There, standing in front of them, he met their gaze. It was from Sora and Kaito, his two other close friends. The last two people that make up their circle of friends.
As he met the gaze of his two male friends, he cannot help but laugh.
"Ha... Haha... Hahaha... Hahahaha!" Laughed Yuuya softly as a flood of memories burst into his mind.
He started remembering every tomfoolery, pranks, and everything their circle have doned when they were still complete.
Seeing Yuuya's reactions, the four others were of course a bit surprised. But they didn't tease Yuuya any further or gave snarky remarks. After all, seeing Yuuya laugh his heart this dearly is not a common occurrence. Instead, their expression softened.
"It's just that... I'm glad. I'm so glad that I get too meet you four in my life." Said Yuuya, his gaze softening as his lips curled into a small heartfelt smile, while his tears calmly streaked down his face.
Seeing his situation, Akari hugs Yuuya. Her slender arms wrapping at his side and Haruka herself follows soon after.
"We too Yuuya... We too." Said Haruka.
"We were also so, sooooo glad to have met you, Yuuya! So don't feel sad." Said Akari.
If this were a dream and he is about to wake up, just one more second.
'Please... Gods please... Let this last for one more second. For a little longer, I just want to be here for a little longer.'
Yuuya begged. This is everything he had ever wanted. If he could trade his talent over this, he would do it everytime without a second thought.
He is contented here, he wants to be here, even if just for a moment longer.
"If possible... I just want us to stay like this forever." Yuuya wished. That was his wish. He doesn't want to be the strongest, he doesn't want power nor to conquer the dungeon. All he that desired is this life.
Kaito and Sora and approached Yuuya, they then kneeled in front of him in one knee, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We know Yuuya, we know."
Truly, Yuuya Mitsukuji is truly happy at this very moment. Even if it's just a dream, even if it's just for a moment, he is truly happy again ever since he first woke up in the world of Danmachi.
"Mhm. I... I just want to stay here just a little longer... I want—"
"—I want to be with you guys even after I wake up."
Just then, his dream started crumbling, the time is up, and he needs to wake up.
But Yuuya doesn't panic. He just held onto Akari and Haruka tighter, feeling their warmth, and memorizing the heat of Kaito and Sora's hand on his shoulder and their grounding presence. He is savoring every moment because once he woke up, he needs to face reality again.
They felt too real, too real for a dream.
And so, he clings on just for a little longer.
"Don't worry, Yuuya." Said Sora.
"We will always be with you no matter what." Said Kaito.
"That's right Yuuya. And if those two idiots didn't come along or took their sweet time, don't worry, Akari and I will follow you." Said Haruka.
"Yeah Yuuya, so don't cry anymore. Haven't we said this before? Wherever you go—no matter the place, whoever you may be, whatever face you may take form, me and Haruka will always meet you and love you! We will always be together forever! We are bound by the soul!" Exclaimed Akari happily and enthusiastically.
"Seriously get a room you three." Commented Sora.
"Hey, don't just leave us two alone like that!" Protest Kaito.
Hearing this, all five of them laughed softly.
"Yeah that's right... I'm truly am blessed. Blessed that I met all of you." Said Yuuya.
The four looked at him again softly and smiled.
"Yeah. That's why—"
"—No need to be scared, Yuuya. Don't be afraid to let this moment pass. We will never leave you, we will always be with you no matter what."
"And Yuuya, don't you ever forget—"
"—that Akari and Haruka really, really, really loves you! Always and forever! Even if Kaito and Sora cannot follow us, the two of them will always be with you! No matter where or how!"
They then looked at him one last time and gave their most assuring, warmest expression that they can muster to send him off.
"So go, Yuuya. Continue on. One step at a time."
And with that, their message and assurance on him done, his dream finally shattered into the nothingness. Turning the space into something akin to that of the night sky.
It was... A Serene Dream. One that Yuuya needs to continue.
And one that he wishes would last forever.
∆∆∆
Author:
I made those last dialogues intentionally like that. But for those who are curious, the first line "Yeah. That's why—" are spoken by Kaito. The next one is followed by Sora, then Haruka, and then finally Akari.
While the last line "So go, Yuuya. Continue on. One step at a time." Are all spoken by the four of them towards Yuuya.
I was actually considering whether to make a prequel of Yuuya's life after finishing this fanfiction.
Actually, if I were to be sent back on time, I would make the prequel first before this. Though it would be short since I'm not really good at that kind of writing and pacing, it wouldn't be that bad I suppose. Though let it stay in the blueprint for now.
As for Sora and Kaito's physical appearance, you guys are free to imagine what they look like.
∆∆∆∆
1 Month and 20 Days After the MS Begins.
∆∆∆∆
The first thing Yuuya felt when consciousness returned was the familiar chill of the abandoned church basement.
He lay there for a long moment, staring at the cracked ceiling, letting the remnants of the dream cling to him like morning mist. Akari's warmth on his right shoulder. Haruka's quiet breathing on his left. The soft laughter of Sora and Kaito echoing in the background. For a few precious seconds, everything had felt… right.
A small, tired smile tugged at his lips.
"…Thanks," he muttered to no one in particular. "I really needed that."
Even if it was just a dream, seeing Haruka alive and smiling again— even for a moment—was more than he'd dared to hope for. The ache in his chest was still there, but it felt lighter now. Bittersweet, not crushing.
He sat up slowly, wincing as his body reminded him exactly how hard the Amphisbaena had tried to turn him into paste. His obsidian-black armor (the one that matched Bell's design but in dark tones) was piled in the corner, looking more like scrap metal than protective gear. The Amphisbaena fight had not been kind to it.
'System.' Yuuya said, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Time check. Earth and here—still the same speed?'
There was a brief pause.
[Yes. One day here is still one day there. You've been gone roughly two months.]
Yuuya let out a long breath, shoulders relaxing.
'Two months… Right... They're still waiting for me. Kaito, Sora, and... Akari... I won't keep them waiting forever.'
He stood up, stretching until his joints popped. The dream had stirred something in him again—the original fire that had kept him going right after he first arrived in Orario.
'Akari… Haruka… Sora… Kaito…'
He wasn't going to forget them. He couldn't forget them.
"I got distracted for a while," Yuuya admitted quietly, half to himself, half to the System. "Bell, Hestia, this whole new life… it's been nice. Really nice. But I can't stay here forever."
A faint smirk crossed his face.
"Doesn't mean I'm going to ignore everything here, though. That silver-haired mystery down below? I'm still digging into that. Can't exactly leave loose ends behind when I go home."
[So… half hero, half detective, half homesick idiot? That's three halves, genius.]
"Shut up. Math was never my strong suit anyway."
Yuuya walked over to the ruined armor, running a hand over the dented obsidian plating. It was basically scrap now. He'd need something new before diving deep again.
"Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Time to get back to work. Step one: survive Hestia's inevitable scolding. Step two: check on Bell. Step three…"
He glanced toward the direction of Babel, eyes sharpening with quiet determination.
"…get strong enough to tear open a way back home."
Even if it meant turning the Dungeon upside down along the way.
Yuuya was about to reach for his sword when when he finally felt the weight of multiple stares boring into his back. He turned slowly.
Hestia was kneeling beside Bell, gently treating a large bruise on the boy's side with a cloth. Lili was doing the same for Welf on the opposite side of the room, wrapping a bandage around the smith's arm.
Bell looked the worst—pale, exhausted, but awake. Welf had several fresh cuts and bruises. Hestia's eyes were wide with a mix of relief and disbelief.
Yuuya is so focused on his own thoughts, that he didn't even notice the three of them who were looking at him as if he had grown another head.
Yuuya blinked once.
Then twice.
"Pfft—" A short, involuntary laugh escaped him as he took in their battered states. "You guys look like you got run over by a herd of angry minotaurs. Twice. What the hell happened while I was out? Did you pick a fight with the entire Dungeon or something?"
Lili was the first to recover, letting out a long, tired sigh as she finished tying Welf's bandage.
"Master Yuuya… you've been unconscious for three whole days," she explained, sounding both relieved and exasperated. "After the battle on the 18th floor, you collapsed from mind down. Bell had a high fever the first day from overexertion. It finally broke yesterday. And today…"
She gestured helplessly at their current sorry states.
"Today well... After finishing a day in the dungeon with Mikoto-sama, the three of us have gone to a pub to celebrate Welf-sama's level up. That's when a member from the Apollo familia started talking bad about Hestia-sama, then one thing leads to another, and now we have this."
Yuuya stared at them for a second, processing the information. Then another soft laugh bubbled out of him.
"So let me get this straight." he said, grinning despite the soreness. "The first two days you guys spent recovering from almost dying to the Black Goliath… and on the third day you immediately went out and got your asses swept? That's impressive dedication to getting beat up."
Bell rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a faint blush coloring his pale cheeks.
"It wasn't that bad…"
"It was exactly that bad, Master Bell." Lili deadpanned.
Welf just groaned and leaned back against the wall.
"Don't remind me. That Apollo guy hit like a truck."
Hestia finally snapped out of her shock and rushed over, grabbing Yuuya's arm with both hands as if to make sure he was really awake.
"Yuuya! You idiot! You were out for three days! I was so worried!" She looked up at him with teary eyes, though a small smile was breaking through. "But… you're okay. You're really okay."
Yuuya softened, placing a gentle hand on top of her head.
"Yeah. I'm back, Goddess. Sorry for worrying you."
After that, they exchanged conversation a little more. Mostly Yuuya being informed of what happened after he lost consciousness on the 18th floor.
Yuuya also realized that Welf is a level 2 now, meaning he have the ability to turn the Goliath's hide he got into a scarf. So he asked Welf about it which the blacksmith agreed with no hesitation.
Lili and Welf hung out a little more, after Yuuya gave the goliath hide to Welf, they finally went in their way and back to their places.
That is when Yuuya finally asked Hestia to update his status and ooh, Hestia is in for a surprise.
~~~~
Yuuya Mitsukuji
Race: Human
Level 3 ===> 4
Strength: 1500 ===> 0
Endurance: 1500 ===> 0
Agility: 1500 ===> 0
Dexterity: 1500 ===> 0
Magic: 1500 ===> 0
Development abilities:
Mage (Rank G ===> F)
Luck (Rank I ===> H)
Abnormal Resistance (-New- Rank I)
Skills:
Ingenium Insuperabile
Regen
Magic:
AEEOC
Skill/Magic Creation
Satanas Verion
Genos Angelus
Mana: 4500/4500
Excelia: 0/8,000,000
~~~~
As soon as Hestia dripped the ichor onto Yuuya's back and the glow subsided, she let out a shriek that probably echoed all the way to the surface.
She was barely holding on into her sanity when she contained her shock, asked Yuuya to choose his development ability, and then copied his status into a paper.
Said parchment which she is now staring at with such intensity she might set it on fire, her hands also trembling so hard the paper rattled.
"Yuuya! Level 4?! It hasn't even been two months! This... this is impossible! The Guild will have a heart attack! No, they'll have an investigation! Every Familia in Orario will be at our door by dinner!"
Yuuya pulled his shirt back on, his expression completely calm. He didn't look like a man who had just broken the records of every hero in history; he looked like a man who was thinking what he should eat for breakfast tomorrow.
He turned to her, his voice smooth and reassuring.
"Goddess, you're overthinking this. Think of it as... a strategic delay. We aren't hiding it forever. We're just waiting for the right moment to share the good news."
"Delaying?!" Hestia squeaked, pointing a finger at the door. "It's fraud, Yuuya! It's unjust! We'll be fined! We might even be exiled if the Guild thinks we're falsifying documents!"
Yuuya stepped closer, his shadow looming slightly in the dim basement light. He started his classic gaslighting routine.
"Look at it this way." he said. "The Apollo Familia is already circling us like vultures. Their captain, Hyakinthos, is a Level 3 as far as I'm aware. If the world finds out I'm a Level 4 today, Apollo will just change his tactics. He'll bring more people, or find a dirtier way to mess with us. If we 'delay' the news, he stays overconfident. It's for the safety of the Familia."
Hestia looked like she wanted to believe him, but her moral compass was still spinning wildly.
"But Eina... the Guild... the laws of the gods!"
Yuuya's expression flickered for a split second at the mention of Eina. He remembered her face—specifically the way her eyes narrowed when he came to the guild with a dented armor and a Goliath stone. He also remembered her very specific threat about joining the Ares Familia. Something about declaring war on their church if he brought the Amphisbaena's stone this time, and did another level up.
He wasn't afraid of the Apollo Familia. He was terrified of Eina.
Bell, who had been sitting quietly on the side, suddenly perked up. He had the same look of dawning horror on his face. He knew exactly what will happen to him when Yuuya got in trouble; he was the one who had to sit through the secondary scolding while Eina lectured them on life decisions and safety protocols.
Bell stood up and walked over, standing right next to Yuuya. He looked at Hestia with the most sincere, innocent eyes he could muster.
"Goddess," Bell said, his voice a perfect mirror of Yuuya's calm tone. "He's right. If Eina-san finds out... I don't think the church will survive the weekend along with our ears. We have to do this. For everyone's sake."
Yuuya reached out and placed a heavy, supportive hand on Hestia's left shoulder. Bell, taking the cue, placed his hand on her right shoulder.
"Goddess," Yuuya said, his voice a low, comforting hum. "It isn't illegal if no one finds out."
"Goddess," Bell repeated, nodding solemnly. "It really isn't illegal if no one finds out."
Hestia looked from Yuuya to Bell, her eyes wide. Yuuya being like this is one thing. It's something she is starting to get used to. But Bell? Her innocent Bell? That's another.
Hestia realized that her children had just formed a united front of criminality. The sheer weight of their combined "logic" was too much for her small frame to handle.
She let out a long, wheezing groan, her knees feeling like jelly as she melts into a heap on the stone floor.
"My children are criminals." she muttered into the dust, her voice muffled and tragic. "I've raised a den of thieves. We're going to be in the black books. I can see the fines already... the paperwork... the public shaming... And my Bell... Yuuya corrupted my innocent Bell... UwAhhHh"
Yuuya just looked down at her, then back at Bell, and gave a small thumbs up.
∆∆∆∆
1 Month and 21 Days After the MS Begins.
∆∆∆∆
The next day quickly dawned and instead of celebrating his newly acquired, completely hidden Level 4 status, Yuuya was currently sitting in a private consultation room at the Guild, wishing he was back in the deep floors facing down a horde of monsters instead of the half-elf sitting across from them.
Eina looked like she was about five seconds away from bursting a blood vessel.
A heavy folder of paperworks she is yet to finish was slammed onto the desk with a crack that made Bell jump nearly out of his skin.
"A brawl inside a pub, Bell? What on earth were you thinking?" Eina's voice was a tight, trembling whisper of pure reprimand. "I am supposed to be advising you on how to stay alive, yet you keep making the most questionable decisions! Do you have any concept of the danger you are bringing upon yourself!?"
Bell opened his mouth to defend himself, but Eina cut him off with a sharp raise of her hand.
"The Apollo Familia of all people seriously..." she continued, leaning forward. "A conflict between Familias is not a simple street scuffle, Bell. It is a political fuse. A spark like that doesn't just stay inside an unnamed pub—it escalates. It drags in gods, it forces alliances, and it can turn an entire town into a literal war zone! You cannot just let yourself be provoked into these situations!"
Bell bowed his head so low his forehead nearly hit the wood of the desk.
"I'm sorry, Eina-san... Truly. They provoked us, and things just happened so fast..."
Eina let out a long, heavy sigh, massaging her temples as she tried to calm her racing pulse. The lecture had clearly drained her, but the room suddenly fell into a tense, calculated silence.
Slowly, Eina turned her head. Her emerald eyes locked onto the man sitting right next to Bell, who was currently doing his absolute best to look like an innocent piece of furniture.
"And you." Eina said, her voice absolutely menacing.
Yuuya didn't blink. He kept his posture relaxed, his face completely blank. Though his heart is currently doing a somersault on his chest.
"Me?" Yuuya asked, his voice a picture of calm neutrality. "I was asleep for the whole thing, Eina-san. Literally. Ask anyone. I have a medical alibi."
"Oh? Being formal now are we?" She replied, her eyes narrowing into suspicious slits. She leaned across the desk, her posture radiating pure skepticism.
"Yes, a three day coma that perfectly coincided with a localized disaster on the eighteenth floor." Eina murmured, her voice dropping into a dangerous register. "So Yuuya... do you have something to say? Something you would like to announce to your advisor?"
"Not a single thing." Yuuya replied instantly, his voice a masterpiece of calm, unbothered neutrality. "My health is perfectly average, my stats are exactly where we left them, and I have absolutely no announcements to make. I'm just a regular Level 3 adventurer recovering from a very peaceful nap."
On the inside, Yuuya was repeating his mental mantra, praying she wouldn't demand a literal status sheet update. If she found out he had soloed a floor boss and breached Level 4 in under two months, she would absolutely fulfill her promise to join the Ares Familia and launch a military strike on the Hestia Familia church.
Eina stared at him for several agonizing seconds, searching his face for even a flicker of deceit.
"Regular level 3 my ass..." murmured Eina.
Finally, she sat back in her chair, though she kept her quill pointed directly at his chest like a dagger.
"If I find out you are hiding anything from me, Yuuya Mitsukuji, the safety lectures will become mandatory, daily, and three hours long. Am I understood?"
"Crystal clear, Eina-san." Yuuya said, offering a perfectly respectful nod.
Beside him, Bell finally let out a shaky breath, and Yuuya internally celebrated the fact that their collective fraud was safe for the time being.
After that, Eina said a few more things to Bell about being careful next time before they finally parted ways.
∆∆∆∆
The heavy oak door of the consultation room clicked shut behind them, cutting off the lingering aura of Eina's terrifying lecture. The moment the latch snapped into place, the stifling pressure vanished, replaced by the familiar, noisy hum of the Guild's main lobby.
Yuuya let out a long, slow exhale, his shoulders dropping as the tension drained from his body.
"Safe." he muttered under his breath, wiping a hand across his forehead as if checking for actual sweat.
Navigating the deep floors of the dungeon was a walk in the park compared to dodging the interrogative gaze of a suspicious half-elf advisor.
Beside him, Bell practically collapsed against the corridor wall, clutching his chest.
"I thought my heart was going to stop." Bell groaned, his voice still trembling slightly. "When Eina-san started talking about turning towns into war zones, I really thought she was going to drag us straight to the Guild master."
"You survived, Bell. Take the win." Yuuya said, already scanning the bustling crowd of adventurers lining up at the exchange counters. "Now let's get out of here before she realizes she forgot to lecture us about something else."
But before they could take more than two steps toward the Pantheon's grand exit, the sea of passing adventurers parted, and a firm, clear voice called out to them over the din of the lobby.
"Hey. You two over there."
Yuuya paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he turned toward the source. Walking toward them was a young woman with short, vibrant red hair and a sharp, no-nonsense look about her.
Hovering just a step behind her was another girl—this one with long, dark blue hair, downcast eyes, and a timid, nervous energy.
The red-haired woman stopped a few paces away, crossing her arms as her sharp gaze swept over the two of them.
"Are you Yuuya Mitsukuji and Bell Cranel?"
Bell, still slightly on edge from his previous scolding, blinked in surprise but nodded politely.
"Uh, yes, that's us. Can we help you with something?"
The woman didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached into a leather pouch at her side and pulled out a thick, pristine white envelope. She stepped forward, extending her hand to press the parchment firmly against Bell's chest.
Yuuya's gaze instantly dropped to the envelope. Stamped dead center into the heavy paper was a thick dollop of wax. Molded cleanly into the seal was the unmistakable emblem of the Apollo Familia.
"Hand that over to your goddess," the red-haired woman said, her voice entirely flat. "Make sure she opens it today."
Bell took the letter automatically, his fingers tracing the edges of the wax seal with a growing sense of unease.
"The Apollo Familia...?"
"I am Daphne." the red-haired woman finally introduced herself, giving a curt nod before gesturing faintly to the shaking girl beside her. "And this is Cassandra. We are indeed from the Apollo Familia, as you've undoubtedly guessed from the seal."
The blue-haired girl, Cassandra, spoke up when her name was mentioned.
"It's... it's an invitation. Our Lord Apollo is hosting a grand banquet, and he explicitly requested the presence of the Hestia Familia. All of you."
Yuuya remained silent, his expression perfectly unreadable as he observed the two girls. He noticed the way Daphne's eyes seemed to linger on them with a mixture of pity and strict professionalism. There was an underlying weight to this delivery that had nothing to do with a simple party invitation.
"We've delivered the message." Daphne said smoothly, not giving them any room to ask questions or decline. "Our job here is done. Don't lose the letter, Cranel."
With a swift, practiced turn, Daphne began walking back toward the exit, her red hair catching the light of the lobby. Cassandra offered one last, lingering, anxious glance toward the two boys—almost as if she wanted to warn them about something—before she hurriedly trotted after her companion, disappearing into the crowd of moving adventurers.
The space they left behind felt suddenly quiet. Bell looked down at the heavy envelope in his hands, staring at the emblem like it was a live explosive. He slowly turned his head to look at Yuuya.
Yuuya was already looking back at him, his gaze cool, calculating, and entirely unimpressed by the theatrical delivery.
"So." Yuuya said, breaking the silence with a dry, flat tone. "An invitation to a palace banquet from the exact same guy whose followers just picked a fight with you guys in a pub yesterday."
Bell let out a weak, nervous chuckle, his grip tightening on the parchment.
"Yeah. Totally suspicious."
∆∆∆∆
1 Month and 23 Days After the MS Begins.
∆∆∆∆
Two days passed quickly in Orario, leading up to the evening of Lord Apollo's grand banquet. The tension that had been building since the pub brawl seemed to culminate as the small group finally arrived at the gates of the Apollo Familia's lavish manor.
In front of the estate, the courtyard was bathed in the warm glow of magical lanterns, casting long shadows across the immaculate stone paths. Hestia stood in front of her two boys, her hands clasped together as she looked them up and down with a beaming, proud smile.
"Oh, look at the two of you!" Hestia gushed, her eyes sparkling. "You both look absolutely wonderful in your formal clothes! My boys are definitely going to be the most handsome ones in that entire ballroom."
Bell scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing a faint pink as he adjusted the collar of his suit.
"Thanks, Goddess... It still feels a little strange wearing something that isn't light armor though."
Yuuya, on the other hand, stood perfectly relaxed, smoothing down the front of his jacket with a casual indifference. The formal attire didn't restrict his movements at all, though it was certainly a massive departure from the dark gear he usually wore into the Dungeon.
Before they could head up the grand steps, a familiar, gentle voice called out to them from the path.
"Good evening, Hestia. Bell, Yuuya."
They turned to see Miach walking toward them, dressed in a simple but clean suit that suited his slender frame. Walking right beside him was Naaza, her usual apologetic posture slightly elevated by the elegant dress she wore, though she still fidgeted slightly under the attention.
Miach offered a warm, grateful smile, bowing his head slightly toward Hestia.
"I wanted to thank you again, Hestia. For covering all the expenses for Naaza and me to attend tonight. We wouldn't have been able to manage this on our own."
Hestia waved her hands frantically, a proud smirk forming on her face as she gestured toward the guy standing beside her.
"Oh, don't look at me, Miach! Don't worry about it at all. If you want to thank someone, thank Yuuya. He's the one who actually bankrolled the entire thing."
Miach blinked in surprise, turning his gaze to Yuuya, while Naaza looked up with wide, startled eyes.
Yuuya just offered a faint shrug, his expression entirely unbothered.
"Don't mention it. A Level 4 budget who almost makes the dungeon their second home have quite a lot to spend. Besides, It's better to have allies looking at the party."
"Still, thank you, Yuuya." Miach said softly, a look of profound relief crossing his face.
Once the pleasantries were out of the way, the group walked through the massive double doors of the manor, instantly stepping into a sea of glittering lights, classical music, and the low chatter of Orario's gods and adventurers.
They hadn't even taken ten steps into the grand ballroom before two figures broke away from the crowd and approached them.
"Well, well! Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence!" Hermes called out cheerfully, a mischievous grin plastered across his face as his signature winged hat sat tilted on his head.
Walking right beside him—though looking incredibly reluctant—was Takemizuchi.
Hestia crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at the duo.
"Hermes? I'm surprised to see you walking around with Take."
Takemizuchi let out a heavy sigh, crossing his arms and looking away.
"It's not as if I wanted to."
"Oh, don't be like that, Take!" Hermes laughed, casually throwing an arm around Takemizuchi's shoulders. "We worked together perfectly to save Bell on the eighteenth floor, didn't we? We're basically a dynamic duo now!"
"Get off me," Takemizuchi grumbled, bluntly shoving Hermes' arm off his shoulder with an annoyed scowl, though Hermes just took it in stride, chuckling warmly.
Giving up on the stoic war god, Hermes turned his full attention back to the Hestia Familia and their guests. His eyes scanned the group, flashing with appreciation.
"My, my, everyone cleaned up beautifully tonight! Mikoto, you look absolutely stunning in that suit. Truly elegant."
Mikoto, who was standing nearby with Takemizuchi's group, blushed slightly and offered a rigid, disciplined bow.
"Th-thank you, Lord Hermes!"
"And Naaza, you look wonderful as well," Hermes continued, flashing a charming smile that made the chimerical girl look away shyly. "Of course, Yuuya and Bell look sharp enough to cut glass. But..."
Hermes suddenly grinned like a proud parent, gesturing dramatically to the strict, blue-haired woman standing a few paces behind him.
"...none of you can quite match my lovely Asfi tonight! Just look at her. My Familia truly has the finest tastes."
Asfi stiffened, her face taking in a crimson glow. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched her hands tightly, her voice dropping into a deadly, embarrassed whisper.
"Lord Hermes... I am begging you to stop talking right now. If you say one more word, I will punch you. I swear it."
Hermes completely ignored the blatant death threat, leaning in slightly with a teasing smirk.
"Oh, come now, Asfi! You look absolutely cute when you blush like that—"
BAM!
Before Hermes could even finish the sentence, Asfi's elbow drove straight into his ribs with the speed and force of an experienced adventurer.
The wind was completely knocked out of the messenger god as the impact sent him flying backward. He crashed directly into a nearby decorative wall, colliding head first with a passing servant's tray.
A flurry of food, most notably spaghetti, rained down on top of him as he slumped to the floor in a comical heap.
Asfi didn't even look back at her fallen deity. She simply adjusted her glasses with a calm, practiced motion, exhaling a quiet sigh of exasperation.
"My apologies for the disturbance."
Bell's jaw was practically on the floor, his eyes darting from the pile of food where Hermes was groaning to the terrifyingly calm Asfi.
Yuuya watched the display, a genuine, amused smirk playing on his lips. He leaned over slightly toward Bell, lowering his voice.
"See that, Bell?" Yuuya murmured dryly. "That's what happens when you don't choose your words carefully when complimenting a girl. Trust me, women are terrifying."
∆∆∆∆
The clinking of silver platters and Hermes' muffled groans were abruptly cut short by a dramatic fanfare. At the top of the grand staircase, the host of the evening finally made his entrance.
Apollo stood there, bathed in the glowing light of the chandeliers, his arms spread wide as if he were embracing the entire room. He gave a short, grandiloquent speech, welcoming everyone to his pavilion and officially declaring the banquet open.
The crowd erupted into polite applause, and the tension in the room officially gave way to the indulgent atmosphere of a divine party.
With the formalities out of the way, the guests dispersed toward the lavish buffet tables.
True to form, Yuuya didn't waste any time. He immediately headed for the high end food, matching pace with Hermes, who had miraculously recovered from Asfi's elbow and was already eyeing the wine.
The two of them immediately struck up a sharp, back and forth banter, trading dry remarks and casual observations about the political undercurrents of the room.
Hestia stood nearby, watching them with a deep, exasperated frown.
"Yuuya, don't encourage him! Hermes is a bad influence on a normal day, let alone when he's covered in leftover appetizer sauce."
Despite her complaints, however, Hestia's dismay was heavily mitigated by the sheer volume of gourmet food available.
Within seconds, she was happily munching her way through a plate piled high with delicacies, completely distracted by the free feast.
Then, the ambient noise in the ballroom suddenly dipped. A collective hush rippled through the crowd, starting from the entrance and cascading across the floor.
The heavy double doors had opened wide once more, and a single figure stepped through, flanked by a towering, silent mountain of a man.
It was Freya.
The Goddess of Beauty moved with a lethal, hypnotic grace that seemed to bend the very light in the room around her. Beside her, Ottar walked like an immovable shadow, his sharp gaze warning anyone against stepping too close.
Seeing her enter, Yuuya felt a sudden, distinct chill run down his spine. He subtly shifted his stance, his internal instincts flaring.
'The virgin goddess who shouldn't be a virgin goddess.' he thought dryly, remembering her terrifyingly potent divine charm.
She was a force of nature, and right now, that force of nature had a very specific target.
Freya's silver eyes swept across the ballroom, completely ignoring the stunned expressions of the minor gods and adventurers around her, until her gaze locked directly onto Bell.
The moment she saw the white haired boy, the aura of the Goddess of the strongest familia in Orario completely melted. Her cheeks flushed a soft, distinct pink, and she walked toward him with a giddy, fluttering steps.
For all her cosmic power and reputation, she genuinely looked like a regular teenager caught in the throes of a massive high school crush.
Before making a scene, however, she stopped in front of their small gathering to offer her pleasantries, her voice smooth and melodic.
"Good evening, Miach. Takemizuchi. And it is wonderful to see you as well, Hestia."
"Y-you too Freya." Replied Hestia, though she immediately stiffened, giving her a defensive, protective glare, but the male gods were caught entirely off guard.
"H-Hi." Takemizuchi stammered out, his composure completely shattering.
His face flushed red, his eyes widening slightly as Freya's natural aura of beauty effortlessly bypassed his samurai training.
Beside him, Miach remained entirely polite and unaffected—not because of any grand resistance, but simply because Miach is Miach. He offered a gentle, genuine smile.
"Good evening, Lady Freya. You are as beautiful as ever tonight."
Those two comments did not land well.
Behind them, the atmosphere instantly turned sub zero. Mikoto's eyes narrowed into terrifying slits behind Takemizuchi, while Naaza's expression blanked out completely behind Miach.
Without a single word, Mikoto reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Takemizuchi's back fabric, twisting it with the force of a level 2 vanguard.
Simultaneously, Naaza's slender fingers clamped onto the small of Miach's back, pinching the living daylights out of him.
Both gods stiffened into statues, their eyes bulging out as they forced themselves not to scream in pain in front of the Goddess of Beauty.
Yuuya watched the silent execution from the side, casually popping a piece of fruit into his mouth. He looked over at Bell, who was still entirely oblivious to why Freya was looking at him with literal hearts in her eyes.
Leaving Takemizuchi and Miach to silently suffer the wrath of their pinched spines, Freya took a deliberate step forward, completely closing the distance between herself and Bell.
"H-Hello, Bell." she murmured, her voice uncharacteristically breathless and halting.
Externally, she still looked like a breathtaking masterpiece of divine beauty, but internally, the Goddess of Love was in the middle of an absolute, catastrophic meltdown.
'Oh my gods, he's looking right at me.' Freya's mind shrieked, her thoughts racing at a million miles an hour. 'His hair looks so soft tonight. He's wearing a suit! Why is he so cute? Wait, wait, focus! Wh-what should I say next?! I can't just stand here staring at him like a creep!'
In a blind panic, her mind desperately searched for any kind of conversational material. Her thoughts locked onto a trashy romance novel she had secretly stayed up late reading the previous night. The heroine in the book had said something incredibly elegant to the hero under the moonlight.
'Yes! That's it! Just copy the book!'
Nerving herself, Freya forced a soft, trembling smile, tilted her head perfectly, and looked up through her lashes.
"Will you... give me sweet dreams tonight?"
The words hung in the air of the bustling ballroom.
A millisecond later, the literal meaning of her own sentence slammed into Freya's brain. Her eyes widened in sudden horror as the romantic context of the novel completely failed to translate into reality.
'Wait. No. Sweet dreams?!' Freya's internal voice screamed, her soul practically leaving her body. 'That sounds like I'm asking him to come to my bedroom! It sounds like I'm telling a teenager I want to take him to bed! Oh my gods, I messed up, I messed up so bad! He's going to think I'm an absolute degenerate!'
A fierce, bright crimson blush erupted across Freya's face, completely overwhelming her usual pale, flawless complexion. She looked less like a goddess and more like a high school girl who had just accidentally confessed her deepest, darkest secret to her crush during homeroom. She began awkwardly fidgeting with the fabric of her dress, her eyes darting everywhere but Bell's face.
Bell, completely oblivious to the dirty connotations, just blinked his large, innocent eyes. Though he is still blushing a bit due to her word.
"Uh... sweet dreams? I mean, I hope you sleep well, Lady Freya?"
Standing a few feet away, Yuuya watched the entire display unfold in dead silence. He slowly stopped chewing his food.
He looked at Freya, who was currently having a silent existential crisis, and then slowly traced his gaze upward and to the right, landing on the massive, imposing figure of Ottar.
Yuuya didn't say a word, but his expression was a masterpiece of pure, unadulterated judgment. He just stared at the Level 7 captain, his eyes practically screaming: "Is this... Is this normal? Is the legendary Goddess of the strongest familia in Orario is actually just a hopeless dork?"
Ottar, the strongest adventurer in the city, the absolute pinnacle of martial might, stood completely rigid. As Yuuya's judging gaze locked onto him, a single, heavy sweatdrop visibly rolled down the side of Ottar's temple.
The stoic beastman didn't break his discipline, but he slowly shifted his eyes to meet Yuuya's. His gaze carried the profound, soul-crushing weariness of a man who had spent the last two months listening to his goddess write poetry about a rookie, proofreading her imaginary scenarios, and dealing with this exact brand of embarrassing behavior on a daily basis.
'Yes.' Ottar's tired eyes signaled back. 'Every single day. Please just don't say anything.'
(Author: Ottar is basically like 'i'm tired boss.')
Yuuya let out a quiet, almost imperceptible sigh, looking back down at his plate. He suddenly felt a strange, profound sense of pity for the captain of the strongest Familia in Orario.
"Hey, Bell." Yuuya murmured quietly, leaning over to nudge the oblivious white haired boy. "If she starts asking you about your favorite color or your blood type next, just run. Don't look back, just run."
Before Freya could even attempt to fix her absolute disaster of a sentence, a short, furious blur slammed directly into the space between her and Bell.
Hestia stood there, her arms crossed tightly. She ain't just gonna let her child be hit on by anothe goddess.
She looked at Bell's confused, slightly pink face, and then whipped her head around to glare at the Goddess of Beauty.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing, Freya?!" Hestia yelled, completely ignoring the fact that they were in a crowded ballroom. "Why is my Bell blushing?! You're doing it again, aren't you? You just can't help yourself! You go after every single man you see, and now you're trying to put your claws into a total rookie! A kid like him wouldn't survive a second around you—you'll devour him in an instant!"
The word bounced off the marble walls.
Freya stiffened, her jaw dropping as her already crimson face somehow managed to turn an even brighter shade of red. Looking very much like a scandalized teenager.
"De-devour?!" Freya stammered, her voice cracking as she pointed a trembling, elegant finger at Hestia. "Hestia! Wh-what kind of degenerate, perverted stuff are you saying right now?! I would never—I was just—how can your mind even go there?!"
"Oh, don't play innocent with me, you shameless man-eater!" Hestia fired right back, stepping up on her tiptoes to try and match Freya's height.
The nearby adventurers and minor deities immediately began to whisper, their eyes wide as they witnessed the absolute peak of divine drama.
The legendary, ethereal Freya was currently having a loud, stuttering argument over a romance novel misunderstanding, completely leaking her true, hopelessly flustered self to the entire public.
Just right behind Freya, Ottar looked like he was aging by the second. The towering Level 7 Boaz stood entirely still, but his broad shoulders slumped just a fraction of an inch.
His expression didn't change, but his aura radiated the sheer, crushing exhaustion of a man who was realization-by-realization watching his Goddess's fearsome reputation be utterly dismantled by a goddess who worked at a potato puff stand.
He looked less like a legendary adventurer and more like a deeply retired bodyguard who wasn't getting paid enough for this.
Yuuya, meanwhile, just stood there with his plate, feeling more disturbed with every passing second. He stared at Freya's frantic gesturing, then at Hestia's shouting, and then at Bell, who was still trying to figure out what devour meant in this context.
'Yup.' Yuuya thought, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck as the sheer, chaotic wrongness of the scene settled in.'I am never, ever getting used to this world with her in it. Give me a floor boss. Give me an army of monsters. Anything but this.'
Right on cue, a familiar, snarky voice suddenly spoke in his mind.
[Just tough it out mate. This is nothing a good, therapeutic ten hour grinding session in the deeper floors of the Dungeon cannot fix.]
'You're damn right.' Yuuya replied internally, taking a long, slow sip of his drink while watching Freya try to defend her honor. 'The second this party is over, I'm diving straight into hell.'
The divine shouting match eventually fizzled out when Apollo called for the music to change, signaling the start of the formal dances. The chaotic energy of the ballroom shifted into something much more elegant as couples began moving toward the center of the floor.
Wanting a break from the crowds, Yuuya and Bell retreated toward one of the grand balconies overlooking the gardens. But they weren't the only ones looking for a breath of fresh air. Standing near the stone railing, her golden hair catching the moonlight, was Ais Wallenstein.
Right on cue, Hermes materialized out of thin air, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Seeing a golden opportunity to play the ultimate wingman, the messenger god smoothed down his suit and glided smoothly over to the Sword Princess.
"Lady Ais." Hermes said, offering a flawless, theatrical bow as he extended a hand. "The music tonight is far too beautiful to waste. Would you grace me with a dance?"
Ais blinked her large, expressive eyes, looking slightly surprised and hesistant. She is looking at Bell, then at Hermes, then back at Bell again.
Just when she is stuck in her stupor,
Hermes clapped a hand to his forehead, letting out a dramatic, entirely staged gasp.
"Ah! Oh, my goodness, how could I be so forgetful?" Hermes babbled, looking frantically around the room. "I just remembered a crucial matter I had something to do! It's of the utmost urgency!"
He turned back to Ais, looking deeply apologetic.
"But oh, the tragedy! I cannot simply leave a beautiful lady whom I just invited to the dance floor standing all by herself. It would ruin my reputation as a gentleman!"
Hermes' gaze instantly locked onto Bell, who was watching from the balcony with wide eyes.
"Bell! My boy!" Hermes called out, practically dragging Ais back over and shoving her gently toward him. "You must take my place! Rescue this situation for me, would you? Have a wonderful dance, you two!"
Without giving anyone a chance to argue, Hermes vanished back into the crowd with a triumphant smirk.
Bell stood completely frozen, his face turning an aggressive shade of crimson. Ais was standing right in front of him, her head tilted slightly, waiting with her usual quiet, detached innocence.
"U-Uh... I... Lady Ais... I mean..." Bell stammered, his arms twitching as he looked between her hand and the ballroom, completely paralyzed by a massive wave of panic. He looked like he was about to pass out right then and there.
Seeing his friend utterly failing to function, Yuuya took a step forward. He leaned in close, completely bypassing Bell's romantic panic, and whispered directly into his ear with a deadpan, perfectly flat voice.
"Bell. If you don't take Ais to a dance right now, you're gay."
Bell stiffened as if he'd just been hit by a lightning bolt. He whipped his head around to look at Yuuya, his eyes completely wide with a mix of betrayal and sheer shock.
Yuuya just gave him a slow, incredibly smug nod.
Faced with the ultimate ultimatum, Bell swallowed his panic, turned back to Ais with trembling hands, and forced himself to speak.
"L-Lady Ais... would you... would you like to dance?"
Ais agreed and they walked towards the ballroom floor. As the two of them stepped into the rhythm of the music—Bell moving on pure, panicked adrenaline and Ais tracking his steps with her usual focused curiosity—the surrounding crowd began to part, entirely aware of the sudden, catastrophic drop in atmospheric pressure.
Just a few yards away, Loki was absolutely losing her mind.
Her eyes snapped wide open, her face distorting into a tragic, theatrical mask of pure betrayal as she pointed a shaking finger at the dancing couple.
"Ais-tan?! Why?! Why are you dancing with that itty-bitty's brat?! Get your hands off my precious Sword Princess, you little white haired tomato!"
"Who are you calling an itty-bitty, you flat chested washboard?!" Hestia shrieked, matching Loki's volume perfectly. "Wallenwhatsit! Just make sure you don't make my pure, innocent boy tainted with your airhead charms or else we'll have problems!"
Just like what we expected, Asfi is the only thing keeping the situation under control.
"Hermes-sama, I'm not taking responsibility for whatever chaos this would cause."
Right next to the fray, Hermes stood with his arms crossed, a very grim, remarkably somber expression on his face. He watched the absolute disaster he had single handedly orchestrated unfold with the stoic face of a martyr.
"Do what you must, Asfi. I am... Prepared." Hermes said softly, his voice full of dark finality. "If I must fall for the sake of true love... I am prepared for the consequences."
"You're the one who caused this!" Asfi snapped, nearly losing her grip on a kicking Loki.
Meanwhile, entirely removed from the shouting match on the other side of the grand hall, Freya was standing near a marble pillar, watching the dance with a heavy, deeply tragic pout.
Her arms were crossed over her chest, her lips turned downward in a look of pure, childlike jealousy that absolutely defied her status.
She stared intensely at Ais, then at Bell, before slowly turning her silver eyes toward the towering figure behind her.
"Ottar." Freya whispered, her voice carrying a disturbingly casual, hopeful tone. "Do you think it's possible? Right now? Can we bring a herd of Minotaurs right into the ballroom?"
Ottar didn't move a single muscle, but his large, beastman ears visibly twitched downward.
He closed his eyes, letting out a slow, long suffering breath that sounded like a prayer for strength. He didn't look at his goddess, fearing that if he did, he might actually lose the will to function.
"Please... Goddess..." Ottar rasped out, his deep voice carrying the heavy, soul crushing weariness of a man who was fighting a losing battle against divine absurdity. "Just be... normal. I beg of you."
A few paces away, Yuuya stood by the buffet table, casually leaning against the edge while taking a slow sip of his drink. He watched Bell awkwardly spin Ais, tracked the screaming match between Hestia and Loki, and then glanced over at Freya actively plotting a monster partition in a formal dress.
He didn't say a word. He just quietly tapped his temple, communicating directly with the only entity in the room that possessed an ounce of sanity.
'Hey, System,' Yuuya thought dryly. 'Change of plans. Make it a twenty hour grinding session. I need to bleach my brain with a metric ton of monster blood after this.'
[Tell that to the dungeon, that place has a personal beef with you. Your number one, day one hater ever since you've arrived in this world. But first, you gotta survive... Whatever this is...]
Before Yuuya could mentally reply to the System's banter, the elegant orchestral music suddenly ground to an abrupt, jarring halt. The rhythmic shuffling of the dancers died down as the massive double doors at the head of the hall swung open once more.
Apollo strutted back into the grand hall, his cloak billowing behind him as he raised his arms to the crowd.
"My dear guests! Gods and children alike!" Apollo projected his voice dramatically, a performative flair dripping from every word. "Are we all thoroughly enjoying the festivities tonight?"
The crowd offered a wave of polite nods and murmurs, but Apollo wasn't actually looking for their approval. His eyes were already locked onto the center of the dance floor, where Bell and Ais were still standing awkwardly after the music cut out.
Apollo began walking toward them, his steps slow and deliberate. He completely ignored the Sword Princess, stopping just a few paces away from Bell. As he stared down at the white haired rookie, a thoroughly creepy, possessive smile slowly stretched across Apollo's face.
It was the gaze of a collector looking at a rare, shiny new toy—and it made a visible shudder run straight down Bell's spine.
Before Apollo could take another predatory step forward, a short blur intercepted him. Hestia forcefully injected herself right into the space between Bell and the sun god, her arms crossed defensively.
Yuuya quietly glided over from the buffet table, stepping into a position just a few feet away. His expression remained entirely deadpan, but his mind was already shifting gears.
'And here it is.' Yuuya thought, his eyes tracking Apollo's theatrical posture. 'The main event. It's finally happening, huh.'
[Yup. Cue the dramatic monologue in 3... 2... 1...]
"Ah, hello, Hestia," Apollo said smoothly, his tone dropping the festive cheer and taking on a sharp, dangerous edge. "I was just informed that my beloved children had a bit of... trouble... with your Familia the other day. Inside a certain establishment."
Hestia, wanting to handle this diplomatically despite her anger, forced herself to take a breath.
"Apollo, look. If my children caused a disturbance, I apologize. But your people were the ones who—"
"My children were badly hurt by yours, Hestia." Apollo interrupted, his voice dripping with faux tragedy as he put a hand over his heart. "They are practically traumatized! As their father, I simply cannot let this stand. I want sufficient compensation for the terrible damages inflicted upon my house."
Hestia's temper flared instantly.
"Sufficient compensation?! What are you even talking about, Apollo? My Bell came home covered in bruises and cuts too! It wasn't his fault, your followers provoked them!"
Apollo merely chuckled, a haughty, arrogant sound that echoed in the quiet room.
"Oh, really? Can you honestly stand there and say that after you see this?"
Apollo snapped his fingers.
The crowd parted as a stretcher was slowly wheeled into the center of the ballroom by a couple of Apollo attendants. Lying on it was Luka—the obnoxious Pallum who had actively provoked Bell back in the unnamed pub.
Calling his condition 'overexaggerated' would be the understatement of the century. The kid was literally bandaged from head to toe like an ancient Egyptian mummy, with only his eyes and mouth visible. The moment the stretcher stopped, the Pallum began letting out loud, theatrical wails.
"Ow! Oh, the agony! It hurts so much!" Luka cried out, wiggling his bandaged fingers weakly. "They showed absolutely no mercy, Lord Apollo! I think my legs are broken! My ribs are shattered! The trauma... the violence...!"
Yuuya stared at the mummy on the stretcher, his left eyebrow twitching slightly. He knew for a factual certainty that the only injury that little parasite had sustained back in the pub was a single heavy beer mug thrown directly at his face by Welf.
The kid had a bruised nose at best, and now he was acting like he'd been trampled by a Behemoth.
Hestia looked absolutely dumbfounded by the sheer, unblushing audacity of the display.
"Are you kidding me right now?! He's barely even—"
"Silence!" Apollo barked, turning his sharp gaze back to Hestia, his eyes gleaming with malicious triumph. He had played his cards perfectly, and he knew it. He didn't care about a pub brawl; he cared about a pretext.
Apollo leaned forward, his voice cutting through the silent ballroom like a blade.
"Seeing as how you're not apologetic to your children's action, I must take action. Therefore, Hestia, I demand satisfaction. I challenge the Hestia Familia to a War Game!"
The entire ballroom gasped. A War Game was an all out, sanctioned conflict between Familias—a brutal event that usually ended in the total destruction of the losing side.
Apollo's creepy smile returned, wider and darker than before, as he looked past Hestia to stare directly at Yuuya and Bell.
"And make no mistake about the terms. When we win... I will be taking both Yuuya Mitsukuji and Bell Cranel into my Familia. They will belong to me."
"Haaah?!" Hestia's voice cracked, her face twisting into an expression of sheer, unadulterated disgust. "Are you out of your mind you freak?! You think you can just march in here, show us a mummy wrapped in fake bandages, and demand my boys?!"
Apollo didn't even flinch. Instead, his face distorted into a thoroughly perverted, slimy grin, his eyes practically eating up Yuuya and Bell from across the floor.
"Oh, come now, Hestia. Don't be so stingy. You honestly can't expect to keep two such exquisite cuties all to yourself in that run down little church. A rare, fragile rabbit like Bell, and a dark, brooding masterpiece like Yuuya... they belong in a palace! Bathed in my light! They deserve to be cherished by a god who truly understands beauty."
Bell looked like he was genuinely going to vomit right onto the polished marble floor.
Yuuya, meanwhile, just stood there. He had been tolerating the absolute clown show of this banquet for hours, but listening to a grown deity make poetry about wanting to collect him and Bell like limited edition action figures was the final straw. His skin was actively crawling.
The sheer, concentrated creepiness radiating from Apollo was a biohazard.
He slowly set his empty punch glass down on a passing waiter's tray. The clink of the glass was small, but in the dead silence of the ballroom, it echoed.
"Hey you, sunshine." Yuuya said, his voice dropping into a flat, razor sharp monotone that instantly cut through Apollo's theatrical groaning.
Apollo blinked, turning his golden head toward him with an expectant, arrogant smirk.
"Ah, yes, Yuuya? Are you eager to accept your new fate?"
"I'm eager to know if your divinity comes with a functioning mirror, or if you just use the shiny surface of your ego to blind yourself." Yuuya replied, stepping forward with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. He didn't sound angry; he sounded like a tired professor correcting a remarkably stupid student.
"Because I've met slimes in the upper floors with a more appealing presence than whatever... this is."
A collective, audible gasp rippled through the entire ballroom. Adventurers and gods alike froze. Did a rookie just insult a major deity to his face?
Apollo's creepy smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing.
"You dare—"
"I mean, look at yourself." Yuuya continued, entirely unfazed as he gestured vaguely toward Apollo's pristine golden cloak. "You're standing here throwing a tantrum over a bar fight, using a kid who looks like he got aggressively hugged by a roll of toilet paper as a political prop. It's embarrassing. Honestly, if your goal was to look like a majestic god of light, you failed. Right now, you just look like an intergalactic landlord trying to evict a tenant because you're jealous of their hair."
"Pfft—" Hermes clamped both hands over his mouth, his shoulders shaking violently as he tried to suppress a massive burst of laughter. Beside him, Asfi looked like she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself from the sheer audacity of the rookie.
"You insolent brat!" Apollo's face was rapidly turning from a sun-kissed tan to a furious, blotchy red. "I am Apollo! The god of the sun! I command the respect of—"
"You command a fan club of heavily bruised sycophants who can't even win a pub brawl against a blacksmith, a supporter, and a rookie with a fever. For Tenkai's sake, your children even need the help of their captain, who is by the way—a level 3 who completely outclasses my friends, just to win." Yuuya shot back. "If your Familia's combat standard is getting taken down by a flying beer mug, maybe you should stop worrying about expanding your collection and start investing in some basic hand-eye coordination. It's a War Game, right? Are you sure you want to risk your palace just because you have a creepy, borderline illegal fixation on teenagers?"
But Yuuya isn't exactly done yet.
"If I were gonna be honest Lord Apollo? Right now, with the way you act? Your life is nothing. You serve zero purpose. You should go back to Tenkai NOW. And give somebody else a piece of that oxygen in the ozone layer so that we could breath in this blue trapped bubble. Because what are here for? Collect every underage boy of your liking? Go back to Tenkai you creepy, disgusting, perverted, homosexual shame of a deity. God your make my skin crawl from disgust."
The crowd was in absolute shambles. Loki was slapping her knee, laughing so hard she was practically crying, while Hestia stood there with her jaw on the floor, utterly stunned that her child was casually dismantling a god using pure, unadulterated psychological damage.
Even the mummy on the stretcher, Luka, forgot to cry and just stared at Yuuya in sheer horror.
Standing near the edge of the crowd, Hermes finally stopped laughing, his eyes widening as a sudden, striking realization hit him. He watched the casual, cold elegance with which Yuuya utterly humiliated Apollo without ever raising his voice. The absolute finality in his sharp tongued delivery, the cold disdain... it was a complete mirror image of a legend he knew all too well.
'Good gods.' Hermes thought, a genuine shiver running down his spine as he stared at Yuuya. 'Apparently, not only did he inherit her magic... but he also got the owner's exact attitude with it. He's a dead ringer for Alfia when she was in a bad mood. Wait... She's always like that all the time.'
"You... you... Hestia!" Apollo literally stomped his foot, his divine composure entirely disintegrated as he pointed a trembling, furious finger at Yuuya. "Your child is a monster! A disrespectful, blasphemous monster! This is an ultimatum! A War Game! I will crush your tiny Familia into dust, and I will personally rewrite that boy's manners from scratch!"
Apollo's declaration of a War Game hung in the absolute silence of the ballroom, a heavy, binding ultimatum meant to crush the spirits of the tiny Hestia Familia.
Yuuya, however, didn't look crushed. He didn't even look mildly inconvenienced. He just stared at the fuming god with a look of profound, patronizing pity.
"And who said we accepted your war game?" Yuuya asked, his voice cutting through the tension with a light, conversational shrug.
Apollo choked on his own breath, his dramatic posture completely faltering.
"What?! You cannot simply refuse a challenge of honor!"
"Watch us." Yuuya replied smoothly, crossing his arms. "You're a deity, Apollo, so I assume you understand how a basic contract works. You don't get to just shout the word war because your fragile ego took a bruising and expect everyone to jump through hoops for you. If we wanted to watch an oversized toddler throw a tantrum over toys he's not allowed to play with, we would've stayed at the orphanage. Frankly, your wine is cheap, your motivations are incredibly creepy, and your face is making me lose my appetite."
A few minor gods in the back actually had to cover their mouths to prevent their drinks from spraying across the floor. Loki was practically rolling on the ground by this point, pointing and laughing hysterically at Apollo's catastrophic loss of face.
"You insolent, wretched little—" Apollo stammered, veins visibly popping on his forehead as he pointed a trembling finger.
"We're done here." Yuuya interrupted, completely dismissing the god as he turned his back on him. He casually reached out, grabbing a thoroughly stunned Bell by the shoulder and gently nudging a wide eyed Hestia toward the exit. "Come on, Goddess. Bell. Let's go. Staying in this room any longer might actually be contagious."
With completely unbothered elegance, Yuuya began leading his Familia straight down the center aisle of the ballroom, completely ignoring the sea of shocked stares from Orario's elite.
Behind them, Apollo's face turned an aggressive, unnatural shade of purple. He marched to the edge of the pavilion, his cloak rattling as he screamed down the hall after them.
"You will regret this, Hestia! You will regret every single word!"
Hearing the threats echoing across the grand manor, Hestia stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't look afraid; she looked absolutely energized by Yuuya's performance. She whipped her head back around, planting her hands firmly on her hips, and puffed out her chest with ultimate pride.
"We will NOT!" Hestia shouted back, her voice ringing with absolute defiance. "Keep yelling into the void, you creep! Let's go, boys!"
She turned back around with a triumphant "hmph," marching out of the double doors alongside Yuuya and Bell like a conquering general.
As the heavy oak doors of the manor slammed shut behind them, cutting off the distant, muffled screams of the Apollo Familia, the cool night air of Orario washed over them.
Bell finally let out a breath he felt like he'd been holding for an eternity, his hands still shaking slightly from the sheer absurdity of the last ten minutes.
"Y-Yuuya-bro... you really just said all of that to a god. To his face. In front of the entire city."
"He was violating my personal space with his existence." Yuuya muttered back casually, loosening his formal tie as they walked down the stone path. "Consider it public service."
Deep within his mind, a familiar, highly amused voice chimed in.
[While I like the performance, you do know he's definitely going to illegally attack the church tomorrow, right?]
'I know.' Yuuya replied internally. 'Whatever happens, happen. They are just right on time too, I just happen to need do something to adjust to my new level.'